Pneumatic tire.



F. A. MACON.

PNBUMATIC TIRE.

APPLIOATION FILED Humo, 1911.

Patented July 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ammi/bof.:

17 M mm Vw 61am 45 tional view of the same.

Unizrnn STATES PATENT ornron.

FRANCIS ATHEBTON MACON, OFHNDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

` Appncation'iea February To all whom it may concern: Be it knownthatl,FRANCIS A. MACON, a ."citiz'en` of the United States, residing at.Hendersomin the county of Vance and vState v of North Carolina, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Tires; and Ivdo declare the following -tob-e a -full,.'clear, and exact descriptionof the invention-,such as willV enable others skilled in il() the arttofwhich it. appertains to make and use the same,

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tires. i One objectof the invention "is to provide an yinner pneumatic tire comprising aplu- -rality of independentcollapsible air chambersfadapted to bevseparately inflated.

Another object is to provide means for protecting the air chambers ofthe tire from puncture-,without interfering with there- '1 siliency ofthe same.

A further object-is to provide means Whereby any of thecollapsible airchambers may 1 be removed and replaced when in a deflated conditionwithout disturbing the other secitions or removing the outer tire orcasing. f With the foregoing and other objects in view,the inventionconsists of certain novel features of construction, combinationand ar-v?Orangementof parts as will be more fully `described and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

VIn-the accompanying drawings: Figure l "is a vertical longitudinalsection of a por-- tion of wheel Ashowing the application of theinvention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical section of one of the collapsible air chamv bers and'its protective casings or boxes; Fig. A isja similarl view of one ofthe casing yor :boxes removed; Fig. .5 is a cross section-of the sameFig. ,6 is a longitudinal sectional view o f several overlappingsections of the inner rubber casing; Fig. 7 is a cross secr Referringmore particularly to the drawings, 'l denotes the rim and 2 denotes theouter tire -or casing of a pneumatic tired wheel.- These parts may be ofthe usual or any suitable construction.

Arranged within the outer tire or casing 2 is my improved pneumatictire, said tire'` comprising a pluralityy of separate independentcollapsible air chambers 3 which are formed o f thin rubber or any othersuitable Specification of Letters Patent.

material adapted to be iniiated with air. The air chambers 3 may be ofany suitable shape when iniated and are here shown. in the form ofelongated bags. Near oneend of the chambers 3 is-formed a neck or valvetube 4 in the outer end of which is arranged any suitable form of airvalve 5 by means of which` the chamber may be inflated andA the airretained therein. Each of the air chambers 3 is provided with aprotective casing o-rbox 6, said casings or boxes comprising inner andouter sheet metal sections 7 and 8, said inner sections? beingpreferably of rectangular oblong shape and are engaged with and securedto the inner surface of the wheel rim l as shown. Arranged in one end ofthe bottom of the lower section 7 of the casing is a'met-al tube 9 whichis inserted through a passage l() in the rim and projects a slightdistance beyond the outer side of the rim as shown. The outer end4 ofthe tube 9 is threaded' and has screwed thereon a nut l1, said nut beingscrewed up into engagement with aV plate on theouter side of the rimwhereby the tube and adjacent end of the inner section of the casing aresecured to the rim. The tube 9 is of sufficient size to permit thechamber 3 to bepassed therethrough and into the casing and tobe removedtherethrough from the casing when said chamber is in a` deflatedcondition. The tube 9 is also provided to holdV the tubev or neclr e ofthe chamber yand to protect said neck and the valve arranged therein.The

stem of the valve 5 in the outer ends of the neck'l of the air chamberis threaded and projects beyond the end of the tube y9 and is adapted toreceive a cap 12 which is screwed thereon and into engagement with theouter end of the tube 9 thereby drawing the valve stem, outwardly andholding the valve in engagement with its seat. i' l As hereinbeforestated the tubes 9 fasten one end of the inner sections -7 yof the boxesor casings 6 to the rim. The opposite ends lof said inner sections arelfastened by extend! ing said end of the bottom of the boxes to form lugsor langes-l3 which are adapted to be inserted beneath the adjacentfastened ends of the adjoining boxes* or casings as shown. Ofntheopposite sides of the inner sections 7 or the casings are formedllongitudinally disposed hook shaped iianges 13 the purposev of whichwill be hereinafter (le-- scribed.

Patented July 11,191.1. 20,1911. serial'ivaeeavai.

The outer sections 8 ofthe'boxesnllo or casings 6 tit in and have atelescoping engagement with the inner sections as shown. AThe outersections 8 are curved or rounded on their outer sides to confrom to thecurvature of the inner surface of the outer tire or casing 2 and on eachside of said outer sections 8 are arranged longitudinally disposedsupporting plates 14, said plates projecting laterally to form curvedprojections 10 and have their lower edges bent inwardly in the form ofcoils between which and the adjacent sides of the sections 8 the innersections of the casing slide. On the ends of the outer sections 8 arealso arranged guard plates or flanges 15 which lap over and slidablyengage the outer sides of the ends .of the inner sections 7 of theboxes. `The laterally projecting plates 14 serve as forms to support thesides of the outer casings of the tire whereby a proper curvature isimparted to said casing. Y

Arranged over the boxes or casings 6 of lthe air chambers is an innerflexible casing 16 constructed of rubber or other suitable material. Thecasing 16 is formed of a series of substantially U-shaped sections 17which are thicker at their tread portions and which fit around thesections of the boxes or casings 6. On the inner edges of \the sections17 are formed inwardly and upwardly projecting` attaching flanges 18which are engaged with the hook shaped flanges 13 on the opposite sidesof the inner sections 7 of the boxes 6 whereby said sections 17 of theinner casing 16 are sesecured in place, The ends of the sections 17 arepreferably tapered or beveled to an edge and said tapered edges areadapted to overlap thus providing practically a continuous casing. Theends of the sections 17 overlap over the central portion of the uppersections 8 of the boxes 6 and on the inner side of each of the sections17 is formed an inwardly extending tapered flange 19 said flangesprojecting. inbetween the adjacent ends of the boxes or casings 6,whereby said spaces are partially filled` By forming the inner tire in aseriesof separate or independent air chambers it will be obvious thatshould one or two of the latter become deated from any cause that thetire may still be used. It will be further seen that by inca-sing thea'ir chambers in metal boxes formed in telescopicallyjengaged sectionsthat the chambers will' be effectually protectedfrom puncture or otherinjury without interfering in any manner with the resiliency of thetire.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will bereadily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction mav be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advan.-

tages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

`Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In. a pneumatic tire, a series of independent collapsible Y airchambers, means whereby said chambers are independently inflated, aprotect-ive casing arranged around each of said chambers, said casingscomprising boxes formed in inner and outer sections, said outer sectionshaving a telescoping en gagement with said inner sections, a tube formedon the bottom of each of said inner sections, said tube being adapted tobe inserted through the rim of a wheel whereby this end of the casingsare secured to the rim, lugs formed on the opposite end of the sectionsandadapted to be inserted beneath the fastened ends of the adjoiningsections whereby said casings are held in place and flanges arranged onthe outer sections of the boxes and adapted to slidably engage the outersides of the inner sections.

2. In a pneumatic tire a series of independent collapsible air chambers,a series of protective casings arranged around said chambers, lsaid.casings comprising boxes formed in inner and outer telescopingsections, tubes fornied on said inner sections and adapted to beinserted through the rim oit a wheel and through which said chambers maybe inserted into and removed from said casings wheny the chambers are ina deiiated condition, and an inner flexible casing arranged over theouter side of said boxes.

3. In a pneumatic tire, aseries of independent flexible air chambers, aseriesof protective casings arranged around said chambers, said casingsbeing formed in inner and outer telescoping sections, an inner flexiblecasing arranged over the outerI sections of said boxes, said flexiblecasing comprising a' series of overlapping sections, means to securesaid sections to the inner sections of the casings, and an cuter tire orcasing arranged around said inner casing.

4. In a pneumatic tire, a series of independent flexible air chambers, aseries of vprotective casings arranged around said chambers, saidcasings comprising boxes formed in inner and outer telescopicallyengaged sections, hook shaped flanges arrangedalong the sides of theinner sections of the' boxes, an inner flexible casing arranged over theouter sides, said casing being formed in a series of overlappingsections having on theii inner edges inwardly turned flanges adapted toengage the hook shaped flanges on the inner sections of the boxeswhereby said flexible sections are held in place, spacing lugs formed onthe inner sides of said flexible sections and adapted to engage thespaces between the ends of said boxes and an outer tire casing arrangedaround said inner easing.

5. In a pneumatic tire a series of independent fleXibIe air chambers,4protective easings arranged around each of said chambers, said casingscomprising boxes formed in inner and outer teleseopieaily engagedsections, guard flanges formed on the end's lof the outer sections ofthe boxes and adapted to slidably `engage the ends of the `innersections, a tube formed on the bottom of the inner sections of saidboxes, said tubes being adapted to be inserted through the rim of thewheel to which the tire is applied and vhaving threaded outer ends, andnuts screwed on the threaded outer ends of said v tubes and `intoengagement with the rims whereby this end yof the boxes or casings isheld in place.

i FRANCIS -ATHEuToNMAooN Witnesses J. W. BECK, T; T. HECK.

